Perhaps...

... the next Top Chef?

Such a Busy Week

This has been a big week for Baby Girl. Daddy's been very busy at work and he didn't want to cook when he came home Wednesday, so Mama and Little Monster joined him at F.R.O.G.S. for Mexican food on the patio. It was a wonderful, warm and breezy evening, and Sweet Goblin passed the time honking Daddy's nose and eating tortillas. After that, they went to pick up Joddie and take a look at a house Mama and Daddy have their eye on. By the time they got home it was well past Baby Girl's bedtime, and she was ready to call it a night.

Friday was exciting, too, because Daddy put in the offer on the house. Baby Girl and Daddy had originally planned to meet everyone for dinner at Six Feet Under, including Kasper and Oliver, but Miss Fuss didn't want to stay for the dinner. She saw the boys and said hello to all Daddy's friends and walked on the cobblestones out front, but that was about it before Sweet Girl decided she'd rather eat at home and turn in for the night.

Saturday was great fun! It was the Inman Park Festival, and Baby Girl had a great time playing with her balloon and riding in her stroller through the park. Sweet Girl visited a party at one of Joddie's friends' houses, where she received a lot of attention and was the sweetest goblin in attendance. She took a little walk in the garden and ate a spanakopita simply because she wanted to.

After the first party, Little Monster went to another party at Daddy's friends Andy and Leah's house. She was pretty tired, but she was still in a very sweet mood and made a new friend named William. Madeleine and William will probably have a play date soon.

After all these festivals and parties, Baby Girl was exhausted. It was such a long day. She came home, took a bath to wash the sunscreen out of her hair, and fell right asleep.

Sunday started early, but was mostly a lazy day. Sweet Girl did join Mama and Daddy on a trip to Home Depot where they looked at new appliances for the new house. Miss Fuss weighed in on her choice of refrigerators and carpet, but she didn't care about too many things aside from those. In fact, she turned into Snarla while Daddy was tormenting Mama with his choice of front doors. That meant it was time to head home for the afternoon nap.

This week, Little Monster will meet her friends Vincent and Aubrey to play. It should be fun. Mama and Daddy are also throwing an early birthday party for Sweet Girl at Grant Park in two weeks. Grandma Raye will be here for it, and so should Grandpa CJ.

Monster Rampage!

What a weekend it's been!

Miss Fuss really lived up to her name yesterday. The day started off on a dubious note, as Baby Girl woke up a little earlier than normal. That's no big deal in and of itself, but she had to cut her nap short in order to meet the real estate agent. After seeing a few houses, Daddy took Little Monster home... where she refused to have an afternoon nap at all. Mama was at work and it seems that Wee Goblin missed her because there was just no consoling her. We went outside, we listened to music, we watched Kiki's Delivery Service -- nothing doing, says Baby Girl.

When Mama made it home, Daddy was an achy mess and Sweet Girl was fit to be tied. She had an extremely messy dinner, which lifted her spirits somewhat, but for the most part it was crab-cakes for all involved. After dinner, Baby Girl did a number on the DVD shelf, but if you look at the picture, she's clearly disavowing herself of the crime. Mama and Daddy had to have a few beers after Wee Goblin went to bed.

...And then it seemed to start all over this morning. Little Monster was up at six and then again just past seven. She woke up tired and stayed tired because she got up so early, but if there was one thing Miss Fuss didn't want, it was a nap! Let us tell you, though, come hell or high water, Little Monster was going to take a nap.

The day improved after the nap, though. Mama went to work, and Daddy had the chance to spend another day with Baby Girl. Wee Goblin worked hard at her musical table and also read four books. She pulled apart her alphabet play mat and sang a few very loud songs. Later in the afternoon, she and Daddy went to the bookstore where Little Critter was very good and had a chance to walk down the quiet, carpeted aisles. After the bookstore, it was home for a good nap, and when Sweet Goblin woke up, Mama was home from work.

Daddy made a dinner that Miss Madeleine really liked, too. She ate her own weight in pasta! There is no stopping Tiny Tanklet, and now that another tooth has pushed through, the process of eating Mama and Daddy out of house and home is underway.

Important update: Baby Girl is singing monkey songs in the tub.

Feeling Much Better, Thank You

Baby Girl's croup seems to have gone. She sounds much better and is sleeping much better and no longer requires a midnight session in the bathroom with the shower running to loosen up her lungs.

In fact, Sweet Goblin has made such a remarkable recovery, she's even cut a new tooth! Alas, Daddy's favorite werewolf smile will soon be a thing of the past, but it has a few days left. Perhaps some photographic evidence of the littlest vampire will emerge.

It's been a hectic week. Mommy has worked a few late nights and Daddy's on crunch time at the office, and with Miss Fuss just getting over her brief illness, everyone is tired around the house. Unfortunately, Mama and Daddy had to take a pass on the great house they found last week because it just wasn't going to give Little Monster the sort of school she needs. Fiddlesticks!

Wee Goblin has been a handful yesterday and today, and Daddy thinks she might have a case of cabin fever. The only thing that seems to put her in good spirits is a trip outside. Today she visited the park with her friend Liam, with whom she also spent Easter evening. (Liam is a bit of a picky eater, but Baby Girl obligingly showed him how to pack the food away by the pound.) Miss Fuss also saw some big kids at the park and wanted to play with them, but they were a little rambunctious, so Sweet Girl kept herself happy by playing in the sand. Yes, she ate some. MJ also devoured some watermelon at breakfast, and was a juicy red mess, as you can see.

After spending the day getting all sandy, Baby Girl is due for another bath. She is up late! She definitely needs the bath because Mama has rubbed her little head down with olive oil. Daddy suggested a little white wine vinegar and some thyme to give her head a pleasant, tart tang, but it's apparently to help a resurgent patch of cradle cap. To that, Daddy says, "I still think the vinegar is a good idea."

Icky Sicky

Well, hello, Madeleine fans! We're sorry it's been so long between updates, but this has been a very busy week for Mama, Daddy, and Miss Fuss. Not the least eventful happening of this week was Little Monster's trip to the doctor, where her parents learned that she has a case of croup. Not since the 19th century has anyone had a prior case of croup, so Wee Goblin gets to enjoy a minor amount of medical celebrity. Okay, so that's not really true, but come on. Croup? What's next — rickets? Scurvy? Franklin's gout? Preposterous.

Arcane maladies notwithstanding, Little Werewolf has tooth number four well on its way, and maybe even number five. Three and four are canines, so Miss Fuss truly looks like a little werewolf, with vicious fangs protruding savagely. It's a good thing Sweet Girl is so, well, sweet, because her biological weapons are no trifle. Stay on her good side.

Sweet Girl also seems to be determined to walk before she crawls. There's already much standing, sitting herself up, and assisted walking. Any day now, we're sure, the era of the motile Goblin will begin!

Little Monster also has a new bathtub. After a few attempts at sink-bathing, Mama and Daddy purchased a rubber duck-shaped tub buddy. They fill the duck-tub with water and Wee Goblin splashes around like a water baby. It's easier to manage than the regular bathtub and it gives Baby Girl more room than the sink. Plus, being a duck, it quacks. Miss Fuss is definitely a fan of verisimilitude.

On Good Friday, Baby Girl had a lot of adventures. Mama and Daddy took her to Lenox Park, where she had a grand time climbing the playground equipment, riding the swings, waving at a puppy dog, and chasing birds from Daddy's shoulders. After that, Little Monster decided to stop by Everybody's Pizza, where Daddy and Mama had a beer and Sweet Girl helped them eat some breadsticks. It was a fine afternoon to spend on the balcony patio.

Today was more house-hunting, and Wee Goblin found a house that everyone loves. It has lots of hardwoods for scooting, but plenty of comfy carpet upstairs on which to learn to walk. We'll see what comes of that, but Mama and Daddy sure like the place.

Tomorrow is Easter, and it just may happen that the Easter Bunny has a special gift for Miss Madeleine. She already received wonderful gifts from Grandma Raye, Grandma BJ and Grandpa Roger. Baby Girl also wants to go to church with Miss Jeanie's family, and then perhaps head to dinner at Mike and Eva's, where she can see her friend Liam. Mama has to work, but that won't hold back Daddy and Baby Girl! It's all up in the air right now, but there's lots of potential!

hi how do you work this thing

okay everyone hi it is me madeleine

daddy is in the other room making breakfast and mama is still asleep this morning after working late the cat showed me how to turn on the computar

yesterday we saw some houses like we seem to do most weekends

i fussed a little bit but i got to see some nice houses they are in town

i am excited!

friday night i stayed with candace and joe because mama and daddy went to a work party

and this week i have been to miss jeanie's a couple times because mama is going back to work

oh good heavens here comes daddy i have to make it look like i'm not up to anything

Lazy Sunday

Little Monster got back late Friday night from her trip to Corpus Christi, and she wasn't interested in anything but bed. We came directly home and Baby Girl went right to sleep. Daddy later found out that, while waiting for the connecting flight, Little Monster hogged into some chicken and mashed potatoes at the terminal restaurant, but Wee Goblin was mum about this.

Saturday was Mama's birthday. We took a day off from house hunting just to get the Tiny Werewolf back in the groove of things, and to give her a chance to rest after her two-week trip, but she was a little bit truculent. When we got to Fritti for dinner, Miss Fuss became very upset and wouldn't calm down until we were back in the car and on the way home. Joddie and her mom packed up everything from Fritti to go, and came to join Mama and Daddy at the house, where Little Monster had some pasta and a bath before heading off to bed. Although she was in a better mood at home, she still had a little crabletry in her system, and it took her longer than usual to fall asleep. But that's probably just because she heard the Big People out there having a grand old time while she was in her jammies.

Sunday was a good day to just laze around the house for Sweet Girl. She slept late, so things had already come to a lackadaisical start. Mama started her new job today, so the early afternoon involved dropping Mama off at work and then visiting the book store and Target with Daddy. Wee Goblin made some new friends at the book store -- a pair of girls maybe one and three years older than her -- while they picked up the special delivery of Mama's birthday gift.

Target was a lot of fun, and Daddy was up to his corny old antics as he pushed Baby Girl through the aisles. (Don't tell Little Monster, but Daddy got her an Easter card while he was picking up shampoo and vitamins!) Next came a quick trip home and some lunch as a preface to a much-needed nap.

After her nap, Little Monster scampered around in her walker for a little while, and then joined Daddy to pick up Mama after work. Mama came home and started some red sauce to make lasagna, and all of the sudden Little Werewolf began to howl in a most uncharacteristic manner! She returned from Corpus Christi with a vampire fanglet, and another one must be on the way because those were definitely teething howls. After some infant Tylenol and an emergency nap to let it work, Baby Girl woke up just in time for BBQ. Daddy went to get some at Maddy's while Madeleine was having her nap, and if anyone thought they were going to put one over on Baby Girl, they had another thing coming.

For dinner, Wee Goblin had BBQ ribs, corn and sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and a Nutri-Grain bar! This monster is truly eating everything she can cram into her maw.

While Little Monster was away, her new friend Oliver was born to parents Eric and Nicole. Baby Girl hasn't yet met Oliver, but we're sure they'll get along great, especially since Miss Fuss is flirtatious when it comes to the boys. Be careful, Miss Fuss!